Education Reform

The Obama Administration is keen on education
reform. Their idea, however, seems to be just
throw a larger sum of money down the education
sink hole like Bush-Kennedy did with "no child
left behind" legislation. With all the money
thrown at education, the U.S. education system
still ranks behind the rest of our industrialized
co-nation partners. Apparently, the liberals
believe hands more money will make it right.

In my opinion gobs more federal money will not
change the situation. Perhaps it is time to think
outside the box, but therein is the problem, to
think! Real thinking seems to be non-existent in
the United States educational system from elementary
to secondary and through college. There is no
courage to stimulate children and young adults to
learn how to think. Courage is a key virtue, but it
is hard to do with the elitist system that permeates
the United States.

The Obama Administration continues shouting from the
roof top of the White House that all U.S. children have
the right to attend college. There is the myth, i.e.,
all children should go to college/university. College
is for the intellectual able, not everyone. At least
50% have no intellectual reason to be in higher
education. And, please, saying this does not make me
an elitist. And, don't give me the bull about
affirmative action. If a child in the eighth grade
cannot do algebra, the educational system ought to tell
this family that a career in higher education of science
and technology will not be possible.Today, a United States
entering college/university must have had calculus and
statistics in high school. This is a must if our education
system is to provide scientists and mathematicians on a
par with the rest of our industrial national partners.

Conversely, that same eighth grader above can take an engine
apart, find the problem, and put it back together. We
need people with that ability. We need skilled carpenters,
plumbers, electricians, and so forth. What we don't need
is the cost of sending these children to college. Yet, we
hear the Obama Administration saying we need to send our
children to college/university for a BA/BS. Many kids are
just not smart. Half of our kids are below average.
Intellecual ability varies, and kids
just don't do well. They can't pass the tests, so we
shrug and say the poor souls could if the tests were more
sensitive to their feelings. Make it fair, put them on the
Bell curve. The future of the United States depends on how
we educate the intellectual able students. With limited
financial resources we must not spend money to send every
student to college. Let the colleges and universities start
spending their huge endowments. Enough of this egalitarian
educational philosophy at the college/university level.
Reform the elementary and secondary school structure to
provide for a skill and service oriented society for the
majority of students and a way to promote the intellectual
able to come out of high school with the ability to think
and do advanced math and science to be successful in college.